Bittersweet Enigma
by antiwicked
Summary: PLEASE REVIEW!  It seemed like everything was perfect. Dorothy was sent back to her home, in the land known as Kansas, Glinda was praised as the 'Queen of Oz', and all of Oz was in merriment. Continued Inside.
1. How Did I Get Here?

**It seemed like everything was perfect. Dorothy was sent back to her home, in the land known as Kansas, Glinda was praised as the 'Queen of Oz', and all of Oz was in merriment. They had waited so long, almost too long, for someone to come along and rid the beautiful green land of the monstrosity that was known as the Wicked Witch of the West. But little did they know that their festivities were in vain; Elphaba Thropp was not dead. Instead, the dreaded Witch had hidden underneath a trapdoor which her beloved snow Monkeys had installed for her when she heard of the female child, Dorothy. **

"I've been locked under here for how long? Almost a week!" snapped Elphaba, glaring at the walls of the underground room with disgust. Six and a half days had gone by since Dorothy had supposedly melted her. The Witch could only imagine what life in Oz must be like and she didn't enjoy the vivid mental picture. Citizens, Ozians and Animals alike, were probably rejoicing and praising the Unnamed God for the miracle of her death. Elphaba snarled and ripped off a jagged slice of stale bread from the cupboard that lined one of the four walls. When the Witch had pretended to melt, she had actually disappeared underneath a trapdoor that her familiars had installed her when news of Dorothy's quest had been leaked out. Thank Lurline that I went to Shiz, thought Elphaba with a chuckle. And that farm girl was so feebleminded. She curled up and wrapped her hefty cape around herself for warmth and shut her deep brown eyes, falling into a dreamless sleep.

**XXxXx**

"Sir, we've told you many times now. Elphaba Thropp is dead." The senior member of the Gale Force seemed to be getting irritated, but his facial expressions didn't reveal it. He trained his eyes on the muscular figure before him. Fiyero Tiggular, prince of the Arjiki tribe. What did he want to know about the Witch? The soldier shook off the thought. It wasn't his job to poke through other people's business.

"Thank you for your time." Said Fiyero politely, bowing his head and drawing his cloak around him before striding to the nearest café. He sat down and ordered, not because of thirst but because he thought the drink could somehow bring him company. He looked down at his dark skin and sighed. That was just another memory that connected him to Elphaba. He remembered when Boq, Glinda, and the Witch had gathered. Elphaba had used that large book- the Grimmerie, was it? - To return Boq and Fiyero to their normal state. The munchkin was no longer made of tin and the prince was no longer made of straw. Oh Elphaba. Where have you gone? He closed his eyes for a moment and daydreamed of his love. Her silky raven colored hair cascading down her back, her marbled green skin, and her lips calling him to her….

Fiyero's eyes jolted open and the first thing he saw was the coffee sitting right in front of his face. He drank absentmindedly, keeping his eyes outside of the cafe. Elphaba felt so close, like he could reach out and touch her. If only he could.

XXxXx

Elphaba Thropp's eyelids fluttered and she opened her eyes slowly. Stifling a yawn, she sat up and waited for her sight to be adjusted to the darkness of the room. For a few sleepy moments, Elphaba contemplated using the Grimmerie to find a spell that would light up the place, but she decided not to in the end. She took a deep breath and pushed at the trapdoor with all her might. It wouldn't open; the damn thing was locked. Elphaba sighed and sat with her back against the wall. There was nothing else to do, so she sang.

The Witch sang of betrayal and loneliness, love and war. When she was satisfied with the way her voice echoed around the room, she held one note and was quite proud of the way it vibrated through the air.

Music was the only thing she loved. But you love Fiyero too. Elphaba cursed under her breath. Fiyero was the only thing she didn't want to think about. Whenever his handsome face popped up in her mind, she felt like there was a gap in her heart that he should fill.

XXxXx

"Alright men, search the entire castle! I want sure proof that the Witch is dead!"

Elphaba could feel the vibrations of the soldiers' boots trampling over the concrete flooring and she couldn't hold back a laugh. What did those buffoons hope to find? She had been melted for Lurline's sake. Some random straggler could have wandered into the castle and stolen her cape to sell to a nearby merchant. Also, everybody knew that Dorothy had taken the broom with her to prove to the Wizard that the Witch was truly dead. Neither Dorothy nor the Wizard knew that Elphaba had hidden her real broom under the trapdoor and had a fake in her hand at the time of her melting.

"I am just so clever!" exclaimed Elphaba quietly, pulling her cape around her as a breeze flew in from the tiny cracks in the trapdoor. What she didn't know was that her cleverness was about to get her caught.

XXxXx

Fiyero wandered through the Thousand Year Grasslands, quite familiar with the patterns after years of stalking animals. As he slinked his way through the tall grass, the thought of Elphaba alive was the only thing that kept his legs moving. She was his motivation. The seemingly never-ending maze ended and Fiyero found himself in daylight once more, but the light was beginning to disappear. Night was arriving head-on. Better get going, he told himself. Fiyero gazed up one time at the Witch's mighty castle at his home in Kiamo Ko and then began his trek.

XXxXx

"What was that?" asked Talia, pausing from her pace around one of the castle's corridors. She had heard Elphaba's spout of laughter. The nervous Ozian bent down to stare at the flooring. There were rumors that the castle was haunted by the Witch's ghost. She suppressed a gasp of excitement as she discovered a small latch that, if pulled, would lead to Elphaba's hiding spot. This is it! If I explore and find something valuable, maybe Boss will let me off work for at least a day, Talia thought delightfully. There weren't many women in the Gale Force, so for some reason, her boss made her work extra-long hours.

Talia painstakingly unhooked the latch and worked to pull the door up. Below the ground, Elphaba was pushing against the walls in frustration, trying to find a way out. Maybe if I cover myself, I will blend in with the darkness, she thought. It wasn't the smartest plan, but what other choice did she have? The Witch drew her cape over her head and crouched down.

Talia flung open the door and jumped inside. When her feet hit the ground with a thump, she noticed a weird lump in the corner of the barely-lit underground room. Mustering her courage, she poked the mess and jumped back in surprise when it moved.

"Please, leave me be!" Elphaba pleaded, again pushing on the walls for a way out. She could go up the trapdoor, but there would be a seventy-five percent chance that a guard would discover her.

"I- I, um, don't want to hurt you." Talia said with assurance, hating her poor choice of words from the moment they came out of her mouth. Her eyes widened when she realized who was standing- well, crouching- in front of her. "Elphaba? You're alive?" She couldn't believe her eyes.

Elphaba rushed over to Talia and covered her mouth with one of her bony green hands. "Please, be quiet. I don't really want to be caught." She said softly.

Talia pushed Elphaba's hand away. "Queen Glinda told me that you were alive! Come on, we'll break out and I'll take you to her." She exclaimed. Before Elphaba could protest, the girl had taken her hand and was helping her get out of the room. Using her upper body strength, she pulled herself up and started helping Talia get up as well.

"Come on, let's go. I know a place where-"

"Talia Davis, you are under arrest for assisting a fugitive."

Guards surrounded her and forced her to her knees. Glancing around to see if they had taken Elphaba, she observed the Witch who was lying limp in the arms of a guard, blood spilling down her face from a wound in her forehead.

I'm a goner, she thought before she passed out.


	2. A Brave Step Forward

XXxXx

Glinda paced her bedroom floor, a worried expression on her face. Her feet trudged through the fluffy pink carpet and she sighed.

"My love, it's been three weeks and there's been no sign of her. Elphaba is truly dead." Boq stated, looking towards his wife in a concerned manner. He didn't like the way she had been acting for the past few weeks.

Glinda looked at her husband sadly. To cheer herself up, she began to reminisce about their long journey to the paths of love. Once dear Nessarose Thropp was crushed by Dorothy's falling house, Boq was free to express his love for Glinda. When he confessed his feelings, the Queen began to date him after seeing her best friend and her ex-fiancée together. She was desperate to find a lover. Over the years, Glinda began to love Boq and the two were happily married. The Queen smiled at the thought and then her thoughts turned back to Elphaba and that strange girl that had appeared at her gates a few days before. Talia, was it? The sixteen year old girl had wondered if Elphaba was truly dead. Glinda had said that she was sure that the Witch was still alive. What else could she say? She was starting to believe the fact herself.

Glinda didn't realize she was crying until Boq had leapt up and wrapped his beefy arms around her. "Don't think too much about her death, dear. Think of Elphaba as the school girl you knew, not that Witch she had become." He suggested, kissing her forehead before trotting down the stairs to have a snack.

Glinda chuckled as her husband left. She remembered when she was giving dear Elphie a makeover and she had said "personality dialysis". Elphie was so stunned. One, because the green girl was surprised at her use of such a large word and two, because she had no idea what in the name of Oz it meant.

Glinda strode down the grand staircase; hoping news of Elphaba would soon reach her ears.

"Why, isn't it Miss Elphaba?" Commander Cherrystone turned around. He had dealt with her before, but the Wizard was in power so he couldn't inflict damage without losing his job. "A.K.A, the Wicked Witch of the West." He seemed to hiss that last phrase.

"Well, isn't it Commander Cherrystone? Aren't you the one person in all of Oz who seems to have an everlasting grudge against me?" Elphaba was mocking him, and he knew it. She was in no state to mock, however. A bandage had been wrapped around her forehead wound, but her wrists were handcuffed and she had no way to defend herself.

Cherrystone wasn't in the mood to play games. Infuriated at the Witch mocking him, he struck a blow to her temples with a short metal rod. He chuckled as Elphaba struggled to keep her composure and not let out a blood-curling scream.

Elphaba flinched as some of her blood dripped into her deep brown eyes and blurred her vision. "What do you want with me?" She asked calmly, unsuccessfully trying to wipe the blood off her face with her wrists.

Cherrystone broke out into a spout of outrageous laughter. "What do I want? Oh, my dear Miss Elphaba, I think you know."

Elphaba refused to be intimidated even though she knew that the commander had brought her here to kill her. She closed her eyes, ready to face whatever was coming next.

Fiyero knocked on Glinda's castle door, his knuckles rapidly rapping the firm oak door. Glinda, open the darn door, he pleaded in his mind. As he continued to knock, Fiyero tried not to pay any attention to the newspaper clutched in his fist.

A butler opened the door and stared Fiyero in the face. "I'm sorry, sir. Queen Glinda isn't accepting visitors at the moment. Good-"

"Master Fiyero!" Glinda cut off her butler with her high-pitched voice as she ran down the stairs, her skirt rustling like a corps of ballerinas. She grabbed Fiyero's hand and led him inside. "Boq, my love, look who's here!" She called up the staircase, only to hear silence. She assumed that he was taking another one of his world-famous "power naps".

"I need to show you something." Fiyero said, breaking the silence. He led his own way into the sitting room and sat down before a table, watching as Glinda flipped her hair quickly and then sat across from him. He unrolled the group of papers in his hand. It was this week's copy of the Daily Ozian. This week's headline was: THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST NOT REALLY DEAD? As Glinda's jaw dropped open, Fiyero took the paper and began reading the story.

"Elphaba Thropp, known world-wide as the Wicked Witch of the West, was found just this morning hiding in an underground room in her castle at Kiamo Ko. She has been arrested, along with sixteen-year-old Talia Davis, who was convicted of being an accomplice. Both are awaiting trial." Fiyero finished reading and put the paper down.

Glinda stared at him and then sighed. "Boq, I'll be back soon. There's a, um, errand I have to run." She called up the stairs. "We have to save Elphaba."

"And make sure she's not comfortable!"

The guards nodded towards Cherrystone, and then tossed Elphaba into her cell, chuckling as she moaned in pain. The cell doors slammed shut and the Witch pulled her cape around herself, looking up as she heard a small whimper. "Talia, is that you?" She asked, trying to peer through the darkness.

"Yeah." Replied Talia, crawling over to where Elphaba was standing.

The Witch looked her up and down. "They didn't hurt you, did they?" She inquired softly, suddenly feeling sympathetic for the girl.

"They didn't hurt me, but they definitely hurt you." Talia responded, putting her arms around Elphaba. She felt like it was her fault that they were in this situation.

Elphaba was shocked when Talia hugged her. She hugged her back and pulled the girl closer to her. She began to feel like she had Nessa back again. No, that wasn't it. There was another feeling. A certain feeling that she hadn't felt since she met Glinda, BOQ, and Fiyero. This was the feeling of friendship. "You'll be okay." She said comfortingly, not including herself because she knew that Cherrystone was going to kill her for good.

Glinda and Fiyero sat in a private carriage that Glinda had purchased herself. The pair was in deep conversation, discussing how they were going to rescue Elphaba. They had decided to have Glinda charge in and demand that Elphaba was given to her so that she could inflict her own "punishment". They didn't realize that they had reached the prison until the driver urged them out.

"Well, this is it." Glinda said, smoothing her dress and storming into the building, her wand held in a death-grip. Elphaba, here I come.


	3. Rescued

**Here is another chapter. You may think this is the end, but there is more to come! Please review! I would love to know what you think of it! Enjoy! (:**

Elphaba felt her eyes close, but she struggled to keep them open. She gazed down at Talia, who was in her arms, and smiled. The girl was fast asleep with her mouth wide open. The Witch took a deep breath and let out an extensive sigh, wondering about her fate. For some unknown reason, Fiyero clouded her thoughts and she couldn't stop thinking about him. Maybe that was a good thing. She wanted to see his beautiful face before she died.

Elphaba sat up, alert, when she heard a strange clanking noise trot into the building. _I know that sound_, thought the Witch, smiling brightly.

"How dare you imprison the Witch without first consulting me?" Glinda's squeaky voice rang out in the building as she slammed the bottom of her wand onto the floor with aggravation.

"Q-Queen Glinda," stammered the jail guard, looking at her nervously, "I would have thought that you would have been d-delighted."

"Delighted? I wish to deal with her myself! Bring her to me!" ordered Glinda, glaring at the jail guard as he stumbled over his feet and rushed to bring Elphaba. "Bring me the girl as well!" She added.

The jail guard yanked Elphaba's arm and shoved her to Glinda quickly. He did the same with Talia after rousing her from her nap.

"Thank you," stated Glinda, pulling Elphaba and Talia out of the prison and into the carriage.

Talia was last to get into the carriage and eyed Fiyero as he held Elphaba dearly. "Um, ya'll better be careful with her. She's hurt." She informed them quietly.

Fiyero pushed a strand of Elphaba's silk black hair and observed her forehead in shock. The whole top of her face was covered with dried blood and open wounds. She sat up and looked at Glinda, whose face showed fear and sadness.

"It's nothing major." Elphaba said, breaking the silence. Her eyes widened when she remembered the Grimmerie, which was stored in one of her cape's many pockets. How did she not notice before? Why didn't she feel its weight? "I cannot cast a spell on myself. Glinda, you must do it." She added, handing the ancient book over to the Queen.

"No, Elphaba. I can't. I'm not strong enough. I'm not _you_." Glinda argued, holding the book like it carried a contagious disease.

Elphaba laughed stoutly. "You should be glad that you're not me, my dear." She responded while putting her emerald green hand on Glinda's encouragingly. "You _can _do it. What happened to that super self-confident girl I knew?" She inquired.

"That girl's dead, Elphie. But I guess I can try." Glinda responded, opening the book and gulping.

Fiyero held Elphaba tightly, afraid that if he let go, he'd lose her forever. She leaned her head back and kissed him softly, ever so glad to be out of the underground room and out of that cell. Fiyero kissed her back gently and then looked at Glinda expectantly.

Talia looked down at the floor. She wanted something, but that something would require a lot of commitment. She had lied all of her life. She had no family. Her whole family was killed in a tragic mining accident in Quadling Country when she was eleven. Ever since, she was on her own. Watching Fiyero and Elphaba made her want to be part of a group. She wanted to belong to someone.

Before Glinda could begin to chant, Talia cleared her throat and everyone looked at her.

"I, um, I was wondering if I could stay with you all for a while." She mused, not daring to meet any of their eyes.

"Don't you have a family you should be getting back to?" asked Elphaba, gazing at her curiously.

"No. My family died in a mining accident a couple of years ago." Talia responded, looking at them pleadingly.

"It's Glinda's house," interjected Fiyero, looking at the Queen for approval.

Glinda nodded. "I'm sure that you can take Elphie's room. She wouldn't mind sleeping in a pink room." She said, looking at Elphaba with a smirk.

Talia's lips curled into a grin and leaned back against the seat, happy for the first time in years.

Elphaba's eyes widened. "I think I might die now, Fiyero. I'm going to be glindafied!" She exclaimed. The quartet broke out into an outburst of laughter and they cracked jokes all the way to Glinda's palace, deciding to heal Elphaba in the silence of the magnificent castle

"Boq, darling, we have house guests!" shouted Glinda cheerfully. Her high-heels clicked on the stone floor, directing Talia in the sitting room where she and Fiyero had sat only a few hours before.

Fiyero came in a few minutes later, cradling Elphaba's bony form in his arms. "She passed out again," He informed them, sitting down on one of the couches, holding the Witch to his chest protectively.

Boq descended down the staircase and tried to comprehend the strange sight before him. He saw Fiyero, with the oddly cradled form of Elphaba in his arms, his wife, and a sixteen-year-old girl who looked like she didn't know what to do. He shook hands with Fiyero happily and kissed Glinda on the forehead sweetly.

"I have a question. Why isn't Elphaba moving?" He asked, pointing his finger at her still frame to punctuate his point.

Fiyero stood up and laid Elphaba on the couch and put his face towards her mouth. "She isn't breathing!" He exclaimed nervously, on the verge of an emotional breakdown. "Glinda, this would be a good time to open that book!" 

Glinda opened the Grimmerie and leafed through the pages, searching furiously for a spell that might save her best friend. When she found one that might work, she scanned through it quickly and cleared her throat. Everyone watched nervously as a bright aurora engulfed the Witch as the Queen chanted in the lost Ozian language.

Glinda ceased to stop and the room was in dead silence. Fiyero's face cracked into a grin when Elphaba's chest heaved up in the form of a deep breath and she bolted upright. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and mouthed 'thank you' to Glinda.

Talia stared at the floor during the casting of the spell. She was too afraid to watch. She was too afraid to wait and see if Elphaba was going to die. While they were in that prison, the Witch had sheltered her and she felt like they shared a certain bond now.

Boq sat next to Glinda and kissed her softly. "You did well." He whispered, before staring at the carpet absentmindedly.

Talia clutched her stomach in pain and ran out of the room. _Shifting again?_ She asked herself, not believing the pains in her body.

The four friends didn't notice the absence of the girl. All they could see was each other.


	4. Revelation

**Short chapter, I know. I am running out of ideas. Please keep reviewing and I hope you enjoy! :)**

"Turn on the radio!" cried Boq, running into the library with his hands in the air.  
Glinda turned the knobs on the radio quickly, turning the volume out loud. She looked at it curiously and the four friends listened to today's top story.

"_Elphaba Thropp has escaped from Southstairs prison along with Gale Force officer, Talia Davis, and the famous Queen of Oz, Glinda Upland. Report immediately if any one of these criminals has been spotted."_

Elphaba smirked as Glinda's jaw dropped open in shock as she listened. Fiyero quickly turned off the radio and sat back down before they could hear anymore.

"A criminal?" inquired Glinda angrily, her hands balled up into fists. "I can't believe it!" She added, gazing around at the other three.

"What an Enigma we've got ourselves into." Elphaba mused, looking down in her lap absentmindedly.

Glinda stared at Elphaba confusedly. "What?" She asked, looking at Boq for an explanation.

"It's like a puzzle, dear," responded Boq, chuckling at his wife's dim-wittedness.

"I am going to get a drink. I'll be back shortly." Fiyero stated, standing to kiss Elphaba's forehead before slamming the door to the sitting room shut. Just a few moments before, the Arjiki prince had heard a strange noise coming from the top floor. He silently moved up the steps, hearing the noise louder and clearer. Now that he was close, it sounded strangely like a woman who was arguing with herself. Fiyero turn the door knob painstakingly and peered inside. To his disgust, a fish-like woman was standing in the middle of the room, drinking a murky-colored potion. _What is Madame Morrible doing here?_ He asked himself quietly. And right before his eyes, the Shiz headmistress morphed into the figure of Talia Davis. He raced down the steps, eager to tell his friends what had happened.

"Fiyero, what happened to you?" inquired Elphaba, looking at the sweaty and enraged form of her lover.

Fiyero took in a huge breath and began to explain quickly. In his excitement, he could barely speak audible words. "Madame Morrible. Talia Davis. "

"Fiyero, man, calm down and tell us what happened." Boq said, looking at him intently.

"I heard these weird sounds coming from the top floor, so I went up and decided to investigate. I opened the door and saw Madame Morrible standing there. She began to drink this weird potion-type thing and she changed into Talia! That's the reason she tried to help you, Elphaba! She wanted you killed!" Fiyero explained, sitting down and wiping the perspiration off his forehead.

Glinda was stunned. All during her school years, she had a dislike for the headmistress, but she never thought of her as a person who would go that far.

Elphaba sat next to Fiyero, taking his hand softly. "Come on, she knows where we are. We have to move." She said standing and drawing her cape around her.

The group stood and made to move out of the palace when they were stopped by Gale Force officers who were running up to the door.

"Elphaba, hide!" shrieked Glinda, nodding approvingly as Boq nudged her out and into a nearby storage closet. Elphaba frowned and leaned her head against the wall, the Grimmerie clutched underneath her arm. Before she could get comfortable, the Witch let out _oomph _as Glinda was shoved inside with her.

"You're my best friend and all, Glinda, but this is going a bit too far," hissed Elphaba, trying to use her bony stature to her advantage.

"Well I'm sorry, Elphie. I got shoved in here by my _husband_!" The Queen retorted, glaring at the Witch through the darkness of the closet.

"Husband or not, why does it matter?" inquired Elphaba, rolling her eyes and placing the Grimmerie on the marble floor to reach for her broom.

Glinda didn't reply. Instead, she put her ear to the door and put her finger to her lips, signaling Elphaba to be silent.

Fiyero opened the grand oak doors. "How may we help you gentlemen?" He asked. His face was emotionless, even though he was burning up with fear inside.

"We're searching for Glinda Upland and Elphaba Thropp," responded Cherrystone, brandishing his bayonet.

"They're not here. Glinda and Elphaba left… to shop," interjected Boq, thinking of a convincing lie.

Unaware that the Gale Force soldiers still occupied the palace, Glinda pushed open the door and both she and the Witch somersaulted out.

When Elphaba regained her composure, she stood up. "Fiyero, look behind you!" She screeched. Cherrystone was positioning his bayonet to strike. When the commander noticed that there was a certain bond between Elphaba and Fiyero, a slight smile played his lips. He lunged forward, pulling the Arjiki prince into an inescapable headlock. Boq rushed forward to free his friend, but a guard stepped in and broke his stride.

"Leave the two witches be. I want this one." Cherrystone demanded, storming out the doors and taking Fiyero with him.

"Fiyero, no!" screamed Elphaba, throwing herself at the oak doors repeatedly. She lost him once. She could not lose him again.

Boq pulled Elphaba into his arms and sat her on the couch. He looked up at Glinda and she surged forward to sit on the other side of her best friend. She patted the green shoulder comfortingly.

"It'll be okay. Fiyero will be okay." She stated, hoping Elphaba didn't notice the doubt in her high-octave voice.

Elphaba didn't pay attention to either Boq or Glinda's positive comments. Tears flowed from her deep brown eyes even though she begged them to stop. She could imagine the giddy look on Cherrystone's face if he saw her right now. She was having a complete emotional breakdown.

"Come on, Elphie. We have got to move. Let's go to that room in the Emerald City you said you had." Glinda said, taking the Witch hand and urging her up.

Elphaba wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her dress and nodded. "I agree." She stated, drawing her cape around her for warmth. She watched as Boq placed a coat around Glinda's shoulders and they both dashed out.

_This won't end well, _thought Elphaba, following the pair as they began their trek to the heart of the Emerald City.


	5. The End

"Sister Saint Aelphaba, you really should get some sleep," commented Superior Maunt, gazing at the green woman with sympathy. The Witch had been sitting in the hospital wing for eleven hours, using the Grimmerie to heal dying soldiers who had come to the Mauntery of Saint Glinda to be cured. The Superior Maunt sighed. Elphaba was the Wicked Witch of the West, but the Witch business seemed like old news in the past two years. Perhaps the Witch had changed for the better.

"I don't need sleep." Elphaba retorted sharply, turning around with the Grimmerie lying open in her hands.

"Yes, you do," argued the Superior Maunt, whipping around sharply and striding out of the room. The conversation was over.

Elphaba let out an over exaggerated sigh. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back to fall asleep, but she couldn't. Images of Fiyero, Glinda, and Boq flooded her mind and she suddenly remembered about their journey to rescue Fiyero. Someone in the crowd of tourists had recognized her underneath her disguise and they had called the Gale Force officers. The Emerald City square was full with frightened and confused tourists and citizens along with half of the Gale Force. The Witch had lost of track of Glinda and Boq, but she could hear the Queen's soprano screams as she was swept away by the traffic.

"Elphie, wake up! Elphaba Thropp!"

Elphaba was shook from her reverie by frantic yells. She opened her eyes and sat up alertly. "What?" She snapped, irritated at being woken. "Boq, is that you?" She inquired, rubbing her eyes to make sure that they weren't playing tricks on her.

Boq was sweating so much it looked like he had ran all the way here from Munchkinland, but she knew he hadn't. "Fiyero, he's probably dead and they took her." He informed before slumping in a chair and beginning to weep. "They took my Glinda."

Elphaba got up instinctively and wrapped her bony arms around Boq's stout figure. "We'll get Glinda and Fiyero back. I promise." She stated, her voice booming with confidence, even though she doubted herself.

"Okay." Boq sobbed, standing up and drying his eyes on the tail of his dress shirt.

"Come on." Elphaba urged him, locating her cape draped over a nearby chair. She covered herself with it and wrapped her green fingers around the shaft of her broom. Another night fly couldn't hurt, she told herself calmly. She mounted the broom, and gestured for Boq to get on behind her.

The munchkin stared at the Witch in disbelief. "Uh, I don't know about this, Elphie." He stammered, looking at the broom with uncertainty.

Elphaba looked at him and rolled her eyes. "We're already outside and you want Glinda back, don't you?" She inquired, using the Queen as bait.

Boq grumbled and mounted the broom uncomfortably. He wrapped his beefy arms around Elphaba's oddly-shaped body and closed his eyes as the broom soared into the summer air.

xXxXx

"Get your hands off me!" ordered Glinda, batting at the guard unsuccessfully. Commander Cherrystone had commanded that the former Queen would share a cell with the dying Fiyero. He shoved Glinda into the dark room, slammed the cell door shut, and trotted off for his lunch break.

Glinda cringed as she heard a faint moaning sound coming from the far corner of the cell. "Fiyero?" She asked, getting on her hands and knees to investigate.

Her question was greeted with silence. She moved through the shadows and took sight of the diamond-tattooed face.

"G-Glinda, is that y-you?" Fiyero stuttered, somewhat afraid of the ex-Queen.

Glinda nodded stoutly and cuddled close to him. "Boq will rescue us." She stated softly, not adding Elphaba. She hadn't seen the green face in over two years. "He'll come and we'll be safe."

xXxXx

Elphaba landed outside of Southstairs Prison, her cloak drawn over her head to camouflage herself in the shadows. "Sweet Oz, Boq, can you hurry up?" She whispered angrily, getting more irritated by the second.

"Sorry!" exclaimed Boq softly, holding the broom out to the Witch silently.

Elphaba grabbed the broom and kept a death grip around its handle. She painstakingly pulled the door open before taking one step and somersaulting down a flight of concrete stairs.

"Elphie, are you alright?" inquired Boq, trotting down the stairs when his eyes adjusted to the dark.

"What do you think, you idiot?" cried Elphaba, amazed at how stupid the munchkin was. She has just fallen down a flight of stairs for Oz's sake.

"Hurtful." Boq commented, his eyes downcast.

"Just come on." Elphaba snapped, pulling herself off the stone floor quickly.

Boq trotted down the stairs as fast as his stout legs would carry him, but Elphaba's long strides overpowered him quickly.

"There's no one here. Strange…." Mused Elphaba, her eyes flickering around the prison in confusion. She shook off the thought of an ambush until she remembered. She wasn't wicked anymore.

"Hey, Elphie, I found 'em!" exclaimed Boq, taking Elphaba by the bony wrist and leading her over to one particular cell.

"Elphie? Sweet Oz, can it be," Questioned Glinda, bouncing to the soles of her feet with shocking agility. She put her thin arms through the cell bars and pulled Elphaba into a delightful hug.

Elphaba hugged Glinda back quickly and then cracked open the Grimmerie's silver spine. She began to chant, her emerald green hands flowing in strange gestures. After a few moments of worried silence, the cell lock popped open.

Boq moved quickly to pull his wife in his stout arms. "I should have never let you out of my sight," He muttered, his pale chin buried in her tangled curls.

Elphaba smiled gently, happy that her two friends were reunited. She dropped down to her hands and knees and began to crawl to the shadowed corner of the stone cage. "Oh, Fiyero, why did I ever let you go?" She muttered, taking his hand in hers. Fiyero was in terrible shape: his normally dark skin had turned moonlight pale, his bright eyes had dulled to a dead gray, and his emotion was pleading.

"E-Elphaba." Fiyero muttered, using his other pale hand to caress her face.

"Boq, I can handle Glinda, Fiyero needs to be taken care of!" Elphaba cried, wrapping her friend's arm around her shoulder, and gently pushing Fiyero to the munchkin.

"We need to find a way out!" argued Boq, looking to Elphaba for an idea.

"I can't take you all on my broom…" responded Elphaba, feeling quite stupid for not thinking about this earlier.

"…Leave me here…"

The group directed their sight to Fiyero. He was even whiter than before and his eyes were beginning to close. Boq laid the Arjiki prince on the stone floor, stepping away to let Elphaba observe Fiyero closely.

Elphaba's deep eyes were filled to the brim with tears and they were threatening to spill over. "Oh heart…." She mumbled, her green hand clasping Fiyero's.

"I love you, Fabala." Fiyero stated weakly, his eyes closing and his body becoming lifeless.

"Fiyero, no! Please! Please, don't leave me!" Elphaba cried, scouring Fiyero's body for even the slightest sense of a pulse. "This can't be happening; this couldn't happen! I don't deserve this!"

Boq stood there awkwardly, his arm around Glinda for physical support. There was much he could do to comfort Elphaba. Glinda ducked under Boq's arm painfully and then knelt down to be beside her best friend.

"It'll be okay." Glinda stated softly, trying her best to console her best friend.

"No it won't." Elphaba snapped, feigning anger. When she couldn't keep up the act, the Witch burst into tears and sobbed into the shoulder of Glinda's dress.

"We better go." Boq said gently, wrapping his arms around the two women.

Elphaba cast one last longing glance at the now deceased Prince of the Arjiki clan.

"Fiyero, I love you too."

THE END


	6. Author's Notes

**Everyone, thank you for all the comments and reviews! I am trying to answer all of the questions. (I have got two out of the five done.) I would appreciate some helpful comments on how Glinda and Boq got together. Thanks!**

**Meg**


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